


Remembering

by LittleLucy



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-02-23 00:59:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2528147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLucy/pseuds/LittleLucy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a story that happens in Storybrooke before the curse is broken.</p><p>I have sort changed Belle...a lot...and made her into someone else entirely (namely, Lucy Pevensie)</p><p>Most of the story will just be fluffy cuteness between Lucy (Belle) and Rumple</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I suppose the first thing you should know is that I am obsessed with Lucy Pevensie and kind of throw her into every story I can. I adore Belle and Rumple, so it was rather rude of me to displace Belle the way I have...maybe I'll give her a story of her own to make up for that, who knows?
> 
> And once again, being me, I take all the "facts" and mix them with my head 'fiction' until it's an unrecognizable globby mess. :) 
> 
> Also, I originally thought this story would have a plot, but the more I write the more I realize it just doesn't. So, it's a fluffy fic for you to enjoy...and that's about it.

Mr. Gold leaned on his cane and peered out of the foggy window of his shop into the pouring rain. He mentally cursed Regina. Anything that was not pleasant for him MUST be her fault.

He was getting tired of the wait. Emma needed to break the curse soon or he was going to go insane. Not but what he wasn’t already at that point.

He closed up his shop and stepped out into the drizzle, frowning at the sky. He limped his way around back and upstairs to his quarters above the shop. He quickly set about making himself a warm cup of tea to ease the chill in his bones that had already settled there even though his walk in the rain had been brief.

As the tea brewed he reached into his pocket and pulled out a teacup he had put there before leaving the shop. It was white with a blue trim around the top edge and delicately crafted. And it had one small chip, a tiny triangle cutting down from the lip into the side of the cup.

He wasn’t going to use this cup to drink from, no indeed. But he needed to see it. He wanted to remember.

Belle had been his one bright flash of sunlight in his dark existence. After he lost his son there was nothing but darkness and magic and loneliness for him. That is, until Belle had appeared in his life.

He stared at the teacup broodingly, lost in his thoughts, his memories.

The next day when he entered Granny’s coffee shop to collect her rent he overheard Henry, a ten year old boy, whispering to his mother Emma. “I was reading more of the book. I came across the story of a girl that I want to know more of. I want to find her, Emma.”

Mr. Gold turned away from the table where Emma and Henry sat leaning their heads together in conspiracy. Granny brought him his money and he turned to leave.

But as he opened the door to step outside he heard Henry’s whisper to Emma. “She’s the White Angel. No one knows where she came from. But she was the greatest, most powerful good person ever. And all the bad guys, even my mom the evil queen, were afraid of her.”

His breath caught in his throat. _The White Angel_. That is what the common people had called his Belle.

Mr. Gold stepped backwards and closed the door, leaning into it heavily.

“The White Angel, huh?” Emma sounded as condescending as always. She still didn’t believe the stories.

“Yes. You know everyone from the Enchanted Forest is here, Emma. But they don’t remember who they are. I know who most of them are. But I haven’t found anyone that fits her. I have to find the White Angel.”

“Why is it so urgent, kid?”

“Because she can help you break the curse, I’m sure of that. She was the most powerful person ever.”

“Sounds interesting, kid. You can search around for her. I have to get back to work. I have plenty of duties as the Sheriff of this town, kid.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later. We’ll keep working on operation Cobra later.”

“Sure, kid.”

Mr. Gold moved to the counter and sat on a stool to watch Emma and Henry leave the coffee shop.

 _The White Angel_.

_Belle._

She wasn’t in Storybrooke. He knew that. He would have found her if she was there, he’d been looking since the first day they arrived.

But to hear Henry speaking of her…his heart clenched painfully. He’d lost her and he couldn’t bear to hear her spoken of, it was just too painful.

He leaned his head down onto the cool counter and took several deep breaths.

“You okay?”

It was Ruby, or rather, Red Riding Hood. But of course she didn’t know she was Red Riding Hood because of the curse. Ruby was the only person other than Emma in this small town that wasn’t actually afraid of him.

Mr. Gold sat up. “I’m fine, dearie. I’ll be on my way.”

He stood and limped his way outside and to his shop. Once inside his shop he went straight to his office and sat down, sighing heavily.

He pulled the ever present chipped teacup out of his pocket and a single tear coursed down his weathered cheek.

“Belle.”

There. He’d said her name out loud.

It was more than he could take.

He dropped his head into his hands and moaned. The tears began to flow in a mighty flood, spilling out of his eyes and pushing their way down his cheeks and over his hands.

“Belle!”

He lay awake long into the night, staring at the ceiling and trying not to hate himself. He could have had happiness. He could have had love. He could have had Belle.

If not for his cursed lust of power. He loved his magic, with a fierce and fiery, jealous love.

But it gave him no pleasure, and no relief from the pain, the loneliness.

Belle’s gentle hands and soothing voice had relieved him.

And he’d thrown away all that he could have had with her.

She was gone, long gone, and he would never see her again. Never get the chance to tell her how sorry he was, how she had haunted and tortured him ever since the day he threw her out. He would never get the chance to tell her how much he loved her.

The next morning, as he puttered about in his shop Belle was the farthest thing from his mind. Right now he was worried about how long it was taking Emma to believe in the curse, to believe that she was Snow White’s daughter, to believe she was the Savior who would break the curse. He might have to do something to help her along in her belief.

The bell above the door tinkled, signaling a visitor. Mr. Gold turned reluctantly to see who had come to bother him this morning.

And there she stood.

She was wearing a khaki knee length skirt and a simple white blouse, her long brown hair swept up in a messy bun and spilling out to her shoulders.  
“Good morning!” She spoke cheerfully. “I’m Lucy Pevensie. I just came into town this morning. I suppose you could say I’m a tourist. As I was walking by I felt the urge to visit your little shop.”

Lucy Pevensie. He didn’t know that name. But then, everyone from the Enchanted Forest had different names in this world because of the curse.

He stood still, silent.

Lucy tilted her head to one side. “Do you mind if I look around?”

“uh…”

Her brilliant smile lit her face and he stopped breathing. “I’ll take that as a no, you don’t mind.”

She moved slowly, picking up first one thing, then another.

He watched her movements silently, unable to speak, to move.

Belle was in his shop. She was mere feet away from him.

She had no idea who he was.

“Did you say your name was Lucy?”

“Yes. I assume you are Mr. Gold, since that is the name on your sign?”

“uh…yes. I’m Mr. Gold.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you.”

**_It’s wonderful to meet you, Rumplestiltskin._ **   
**_Is it, dearie? After all the tales you must have heard of me?_ **   
**_I never believe half the stories I hear. I desire to get to know each and every person personally. I can be my own judge of whether or not you are as evil as the stories say._ **   
**_And what if I am?_ **   
**_You aren’t. I can feel it. I’ve seen evil, Rumplestiltskin, and you aren’t it._ **

“Mr. Gold? Are you alright? You look like you are about to pass out.” Lucy moved to his side and reached out a gentle hand which she laid on his forehead. “My, but you do have a raging fever. You should sit down.”

He shook himself out of his reverie and took a step back. “No, no. I’m fine, dearie.”

Lucy smiled. “I am a skilled healer, Mr. Gold. And I can tell you right now, you are not fine.”

**_I am a skilled healer, Rumplestiltskin. You can’t hide your illness from me._ **   
**_And what is it that you suppose ails me?_ **   
**_Your power. You are the Dark One, but you don’t like it._ **

“That does it.” Lucy grabbed his arm and pulled him to the one chair in the room. “Sit.”

He did as he was commanded. Lucy bent over him with a concerned look on her face. “Should I call the doctor?”

“I thought you were a skilled healer, dearie.”

Lucy laughed. “I am. But I do not have any supplies on my person.”

“I am fine, dearie. I really am. It’s just…”

“What?”

“I was remembering…”

Lucy studied him. “Remembering….a painful past?”

He looked up sharply. “Why would you say that, dearie?”

“I’ve seen that look before. Every time I look in the mirror.”

“You have painful memories, regrets?”

“More than anyone knows.”

“Be-…Lucy…”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gold, but I hardly know you. We just met five minutes ago! I’m not going to share my history with you now.”

“Of course, dearie. I’m sorry.”

“No, please. Don’t apologize. When you find someone has a similar pain in their heart, it is natural to want to share with them. But not yet. I must know you better first.”

He wasn’t breathing, he knew that. But he couldn’t help it. She was just the same as she had always been. She was willing, oh so willing, to be his friend and share her heart. She just wanted to know him first. That was exactly the way it had happened in the Enchanted Forest.

“Are you staying in Storybrooke long?”

“I have not decided yet. I only just arrived today.”

“We are a quaint little town, but I think you will enjoy it here. You should take a room at Granny’s bed and breakfast.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, please do. I could…I could show you around the town, introduce you to people.”

“That is very kind of you, Mr. Gold! But I am sure I can find my way around, and I have never had trouble making friends on my own. Besides, I don’t want to take you away from your shop. I’ll stop by and visit again though, you may be sure of that.”

And then she was gone, skipping out the door in her light-footed way. She was always so graceful.

_Breathe, Rumple, breathe!_

His heart was beating at an unnaturally quick pace. He stood and moved quickly to the window to watch her move easily down the street to Granny’s bed and breakfast, located beside the coffee shop.

She was going to stay. She was here!

But where had she been for all these years? She hadn’t come to Storybrooke with the rest of them when the curse brought them.

He leaned against the window and closed his eyes, concentrating on breathing so he wouldn’t pass out.

Belle was here. Belle had been in his shop, had spoke to him. She’d even placed her cool, gentle hand on his forehead.

His knees buckled and he sank to the ground.

Belle was here.

He had a second chance.

He pulled the chipped teacup from his pocket and held it lovingly in his hands. She was here now. And though she did not know who he was, she wanted to be his friend.

Perhaps Lucy Pevensie would learn to love him the way Belle had done once.

And this time, this time he would never, ever, EVER let her go


	2. Chapter 2

Mr. Gold moved as quickly as his limp would allow the next morning and took a seat at Granny’s coffee shop very early in the day. Ruby had raised her eyebrows when he first came in, but filled his coffee order and refilled his mug again and again without comment as he sat silently watching the door. He needed to be sure yesterday had not been a dream.

But he still hadn’t seen Belle…Lucy…again and it was nearing noon.

Mr. Gold pulled the chipped cup from his pocket and set it on the table beside his coffee mug. He sighed.

“What’s the long face?”

He wasn’t sure how he had missed her entrance into the coffee shop, but there she stood now beside him a gentle smile on her face.

“I was…remembering.”

“Ah. That painful past again?”

“Yes, dearie. Though not all of it was painful.”

Lucy sat down across from him at the table. “There are always good memories to relieve the bad.”

“Not always, dearie.”

“Oh I believe there always are, usually in more abundance than the bad ones. But even when the bad outnumber the good, the good are so much sweeter, so much more powerful that it evens out, you know.”

Mr. Gold smiled. “You are an optimist, dearie.”

“Always. What would be the fun of life if I only looked at the bad side?”

“Do you even see the bad, Be-…Lucy?”

Lucy’s silvery, bell tinkling laugh rang out. Ruby glanced up from behind the counter. “Perhaps not, Mr. Gold. How are you feeling today?”

“I feel fine, dearie. No fever.”

Lucy reached across the table and laid her hand on his forehead. “Nope, no fever. You pass inspection, Mr. Gold.”

He held his breath.

“Are you hungry, Mr. Gold?”

“Are you, dearie?”

“I’m starved! Ruby, dear?”

“Yes, Lucy?” Ruby came over to their table.

“Do you still have those cinnamon rolls I was smelling so early this morning?”

Ruby laughed. “Of course. I’ll bring one out. Anything for you, Mr. Gold?”

“No thank you, dearie.”

Ruby moved off and Mr. Gold turned to Lucy. “When did you smell those cinnamon rolls?”

“I was out walking this morning, around six I think.”

Belle always did love the early mornings. He could still remember the way she would wander in the garden early in the day through the mist and fog of dawn.

Ruby soon returned with the cinnamon roll and Lucy put a dainty bite in her mouth, closed her eyes in pleasure and laughed. “Oh heavenly! Ruby, was this your amazing cooking or Granny’s?”

“Granny’s of course. I’ll tell her you found it heavenly.” Ruby winked.

“Please do.” Lucy laughed. “You should eat one, Mr. Gold.”

“I’d prefer not to, dearie.”

“Not a fan of cinnamon rolls?”

“Not particularly.”

“What do you like?”

“It is all food, dearie. Edible is enough for me.”

“Don’t be so sour. Food is not all the same. And I know you must enjoy some of it more than others.”

“Really, dearie, I have no opinion when it comes to food.”

“Nonsense. Your drinking coffee, so is coffee your favorite thing to drink?”

“I prefer tea.”

“Ha! You prefer tea. That, Mr. Gold, is an opinion.”

Mr. Gold smiled. “I was mistaken then.”

“Yes you were, and don’t forget it. I’ll bring out the emotion in you if it kills me.”

“Emotion? Weren’t we talking about food, dearie?”

“Yes! But how can you describe these delicious cinnamon rolls as heavenly, as I did, if you eat it with no emotion? Edible is enough for me? That, sir, is pathetic.”

“You may endeavor to bring out the emotion in me as I eat. But expect to fail, dearie.”

“Was that a challenge?”

“A statement.”

“Well I’m going to take it as a challenge. So, we have to have dinner together tonight so I can begin my quest to have you eat food with emotion.”

Had she just asked him on a date? “Dinner tonight?”

“Are you busy, Mr. Gold?”

“No.”

“Then you can come.”

“Uh…yes.”

“Perfect. Is there any food your particularly dislike? Because I won’t make you eat it.”

“I do not care one way or another, dearie.”

“So you’ve said. I’ll find something though.”

“Something I hate?”

“Yes! You can’t love everything. There must be balance.”

“Don’t you love everything, Be-…Lucy?”

“Possibly. But I am the exception to the rule.”

“If your ideal is balance, dearie, then we have already achieved it. You are passionate about everything, and I don’t care.”

“Oh pooh. You must care about something.”

He did care about something. Very much indeed. But now was not the time to mention that. “Food is food, dearie.”

“You keep saying that. Well, I must be off. I’m going to wander this little town and find a million new friends. I’ve already made two.”

“Granny and Ruby?” Mr. Gold guessed.

“Yes! I adore them both already. But there are plenty of fascinating and wonderful people here I am sure. I have to know them all! I’ll see you later, Mr. Gold.”

And she was gone again, skipping away as though the world was in perfect order and she didn’t have a care.

Ruby came to clear Lucy’s dishes and offered to refill Mr. Gold’s coffee once more.

“No thank you, dearie. I must return to my shop.”

“You were waiting for her all morning, weren’t you, just hoping she would stop by?”

“That’s none of your business, dearie.”

“Well I don’t know her well, she’s never been in Storybrooke before and hasn’t been here long. But you seem to know her well. I’ll tell you something, Mr. Gold. She likes you.”

“Why would you say that, dearie?”

“Just a hunch. Have a nice day, Mr. Gold.”

As he limped his way back to his shop he couldn’t help but smile. He had a date with Belle…Lucy…that evening. Life could not get better than that.

That evening he dressed with special care. This wasn’t a romantic date, he told himself over and over and over. A girl he had only known for a couple days wanted, in a casual way, to teach him to enjoy food. That was all.

And yes, that was how he needed to think of her, as a stranger he had only recently become acquainted with.

As Lucy Pevensie.

Not as his Belle.

As he stepped out of his shop Lucy appeared from seemingly nowhere and arrested his arm, the one without the cane. “There you are! I was afraid you’d stand me up. Now, it’s off to the nearest restaurant. Where shall we go?”

“Where would you like to go, dearie?”

“How about that sweet little place on the corner there, across from the Library?”

“That would be fine.”

“Fine. What a mundane word. Apparently I have to improve your vocabulary as well.”

Mr. Gold smiled. “By all means. I am a willing student.”

“We’ll see. You may turn out to be very troublesome. Come along, we have a million things we have to try tonight.”

They entered the small restaurant on the corner and were taken to a table in a quiet corner. As they sat down Lucy asked the waitress for quite a few different drinks, including coffee, several varieties of tea and one or two different sodas.

“Are you planning on drowning me, dearie?”

“That is always a possibility.” Lucy laughed. “No, what I am doing is trying to find a drink that you’ll gush over.”

“You’ll fail. I don’t gush over anything.”

“We’ll see about that.”

When all the drinks were brought Lucy pointed to the coffee. “Drink.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I know you drink coffee, I’ve already witnessed that. But I need to see your reactions to everything. I have a feeling you are going to be very hard to read. Even when you adore something you won’t gush as I would, you’ll be very subtle. So I have to watch you closely.”

He almost laughed at the very serious expression on Lucy’s face, but he contained himself to merely a small smile. He took a sip of coffee.

“Don’t you ever put anything in your coffee?”

“No, dearie, I do not. Do you?”

“Of course! I can’t stand the bitterness so I put in as much sugar as I can without being obscene.”

He did laugh at that.

Lucy’s entire face lit up, her eyes beginning to dance. “What did I say? You actually laughed! I wasn’t sure you knew how.”

“You amuse me, Lucy.”

“I noticed. Drink that tea, the raspberry one.”

Mr. Gold obediently picked up the cup of raspberry tea and took a cautious sip.

“There. You don’t like raspberries do you?”

“I do not care one way or the other.”

“Liar. You didn’t take that cup to your lips as smoothly as the coffee. You hesitated.”

“Nonsense.”

“I am not crazy, Mr. Gold. I have very keen eyesight.”

“I don’t mind raspberries, truly.”

“Mr. Gold, in order for my experiment to work you must to be entirely honest!”

“Raspberries are…less than desirable.”

“Oh heaven help me! Must you be so boring?”

Mr. Gold smiled. “Old habits die hard, dearie.”

“Try again. How do you REALLY feel about raspberries?”

“They are…undesirable.”

“That’s what you said the first time!”

“Not exactly.”

“Close enough.”

“I have nothing else to say about raspberries, dearie.”

“Fine. Drink that honey tea.”

“Honey?”

“Is there something wrong with honey, Mr. Gold?”

“Not at all.”

“Of course there isn’t.”

After he had taken a drink Lucy smiled. “You like it.”

“It is not disgusting.”

“Oh come on, you like it! You took a much longer drink of the honey tea than you did of the raspberry.”

“The raspberry tea made me thirsty.”

“Sure it did. You are a terrible liar.”

“Very few people can tell, dearie, when I am lying.”

“I can tell. I can always tell.”

**_You can’t lie to me, Rumplestiltskin. You can try, but it won’t work._ **   
**_I wasn’t lying to you, dearie._ **   
**_No?_ **   
**_Well…_ **   
**_Exactly. You WERE lying. But I can see through you._ **   
**_Very few people have that advantage over me, Belle. You are very special. How do you do it?_ **   
**_I don’t know. But I can tell. I can always tell._ **

“Hello? Earth to Mr. Gold, earth to Mr. Gold.”

“What?”

“Where were you?”

“I was right here, dearie.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow. “No you weren’t. You were far away….perhaps remembering again?”

“Perhaps, dearie. Perhaps.”

“Well, try the next drink then.”

“Will I get to eat at some point?”

“Does it matter? It’s just food, after all.”

He laughed. He really couldn’t help it.

Lucy’s face lit up again. “There! I amused you again. I should do that more often. Your smile softens your whole face and you look almost handsome.”

“Almost?”

“Yes, almost. You have a strange genteelness about you, a softness despite the rough edges that is quite attractive.”

He’d stopped breathing again. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.

“Shall we start ordering food, Mr. Gold? There are plenty of different things you have to try.”

“Whatever you wish, dearie.”

“What should we start with? A salad? Steak? Fish?”

“I-“

“Don’t care one way or another, dearie. Oh I know, Mr. Gold. You don’t have to say it again.”

He couldn’t stop his mouth from twitching upwards into a smile. “You know me too well, Be-…Lucy.”

“It is not hard to pick up on a few things. You are easy to see through.”

“Am I?”

“Quite. But, Mr. Gold, I have a question.”

“Ask away, dearie.”

“Do I remind you of someone from the painful past you keep mentioning?”

“Do you…er…” It took him a moment to recover his composure. “Why would you ask that, dearie?”

“Because you keep trying to call me by some other name, not Lucy. I don’t know what it is because you never get very far before you correct yourself. But you have a habit of calling me Belucy.”

“Uh…yes. I cannot deny that you…remind me…of someone I knew once a long, long time ago.”

“And her name was Be-?”

“Belle.”

“What a lovely name!”

Mr. Gold nearly choked on the honey tea he had just lifted to his lips. “Uh…it…er…yes, yes it is a lovely name.” He couldn’t stand this. He rarely ever lost his composure or stuttered when he spoke. He was good with words, excessively good with them. But she had him tongue-tied.

“Belle. That’s French, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is. So, Lucy, what did you do today? Did you find all those new friends you had planned on making?”

He was not unaware of the slight smile his very unsubtle change in the subject had brought to Lucy’s lips. “I did make some new friends! I met the mayor, Regina Mills. She’s a piece of work. And I met Emma. She is quite the woman. We had some interesting conversations. And Mary Margaret…she’s a dear! Oh I love her already. And David Nolan, he’s a dear too. And Dr. Hopper. He’s such a sweet shrink! That quite surprised me. I spent the afternoon mostly with Emma and then Mary Margaret. Oh and Henry too. That boy had a million questions to ask me. He’s quite a curious fellow, isn’t he?”

Mr. Gold had little doubt that Henry was VERY interested in Lucy. He had wanted to find the White Angel, and now he had the perfect candidate. Mr. Gold wondered just how much was in that book of Henry’s.

“Yes, he is a curious fellow. What did he want to know?”

“Oh just silly little things. Like what my favorite fairytale was growing up.”

“And what did you say to that?”

“Beauty and the Beast. I’ve always adored that story for some reason.”

He couldn’t breathe.

“I think it’s amusing you keep almost calling me Belle. Belle is my favorite Disney Princess you know.”

He wasn’t sure his heart was even still beating.

“The love story between Belle and the Beast is just so romantic!”

It would be terribly unmanly to faint, but that is where Mr. Gold felt he was heading in the near future.

“Oh here comes our food! Now, Mr. Gold, start with this salad. Tell me what you think.”

Food. Distraction. Good, he needed something to focus his thoughts on, other than Belle sitting two feet from him exclaiming how much she loved Beauty and the Beast. He was very close to doing something drastic, like leaning across the table and kissing that beauty.

“Well? What do you think?”

“It’s-“

“Don’t you dare say it’s fine!”

“Good.”

“Good? Really?”

Mr. Gold chewed slowly, as slowly as he possibly could. He’d only said it was good because she’d demanded he didn’t say fine. Good was the only word his brain would supply him with in place of fine. His vocabulary was shrinking rapidly in Lucy’s presence, which was really the exact opposite of what she wanted to do this evening.  
“What is it about the salad that made it good, as opposed to just food?”

“I…er…”

“Yes?” Lucy was looking at him so expectantly.

He sighed. “I lied. It just tastes like food to me.”

Lucy groaned. “Surely not! Take a bite of that grilled chicken.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well?”

“It’s…”

“Really, Mr. Gold, do you even HAVE taste buds?”

“I’ve never thought about it before, dearie. Food has always only been a necessity, nothing more. But I did enjoy the bite of grilled chicken more than the bite of salad.”

“That’s something at least. By the way, I noticed the Library is closed…why is that?”

“It’s been closed for a long time. The mayor closed it, for reasons of her own.”

“That’s too bad. I do so love to read.”

Mr. Gold smiled. “I know.”

Lucy tilted her head to one side. “How on earth could you know that?”

“I…er…it just seems like something you would enjoy.”

“Hmm. I don’t think I’m getting anywhere with your appreciation of food this evening. We’ll have to try again another time.”

Was that an invitation to a second date? “You’re giving up on me already?”

“No, I’m postponing you. Can we go for a walk? It’s such a quaint, pretty little town, I’d love to walk around it under the stars.”

Breathe, Rumple. Just Breathe. “I would love to take a stroll with you, dearie.”

“Great!” Lucy jumped up.

“You mean right away, don’t you? Before we finish dinner.”

“You weren’t enjoying dinner anyway.”

If she only knew how much he’d REALLY been enjoying himself…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, readers (if there are any of you ;) )...it's been a good while since I wrote in this fic, and I'm not entirely sure I was able to retain the same flavor to the story. I did try though.
> 
> Anyway, here's a little bitty chapter to enjoy until I feel motivated to write more Belle/Rumple ness...at some point I do plan on explaining how Belle became Lucy. But it's rather a long story, so it may take a while.

Lucy tucked her arm through Mr. Gold's as they exited the restaurant. The last time they walked side by side like this...it was in the garden outside his castle and she was showing him-

"Oh! It's such a glorious night!" Lucy exclaimed, bringing Rumplestiltskin back to reality.

"How is that, dearie?"

Lucy sighed dramatically. "Am I going to have to teach you to enjoy ALL the simple things in life, Mr. Gold? Honestly, do you take pleasure in anything? At all?"

He chuckled. "I do indeed."

"Well...what? Are you going to tell me?"

"I thought perhaps I'd leave it as another mystery for you to uncover." And another excuse to spend time with Lucy...not that he was going to admit it.

"Another challenge! You are certainly invigorating."

Mr. Gold cleared his throat.

"Are you embarrassed, Mr. Gold?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why would you assume such a thing?"

"Because that was a very nervous throat clearing."

"Are you sure you aren't reading more into it than you should? You hardly know me. How would you know what a quote unquote 'normal' throat clearing is for me?"

"I don't know. But I feel as if I know you very well. And I have always been a good judge of people."

**"I am never wrong, Rumple. I am good judge of people."**

**"You've made a mistake with me. I am not what you think I am."**

**"I know exactly what you are! I know you've made mistakes...I've watched you make mistakes. But you're good. I know you are. I've never yet wrongly judged a person's character."**

**"There is always the first time, dearie."**

"Um...Mr. Gold?"

"Oh...uh...did you say something?"

"Possibly. But you were too lost in thought to notice."

"I am sorry."

"You should be. I'm giving you a very serious lecture of great import..." Lucy giggled. "Or perhaps not. What were you thinking about?"

"Belle." He answered honestly. Of course Lucy didn't know that Belle meant her.

"Did you love her?"

"Belle?"

"Yes, Belle. The look on your face..."

"Yes. I did love Belle. A great deal." _Do_ love Belle. A great deal. 

"Will you tell me about her sometime? You say I remind you of her, so I'm very curious about her."

Oh if only she knew...

"I...er...perhaps I will tell you, someday."

"Oh good!" Lucy smiled brightly. "Now look up there, Mr. Gold, at the sky. You see those beautiful stars? How sparkly and happy they look?"

"The stars look happy?"

"Don't be sarcastic or I'll give you a good elbow to the ribs."

"If you're banning sarcasm from our conversations I shall be forever bored."

"Well we can't have that, can we?" Lucy rolled her eyes. "I can hardly complain though...I'm nearly as sarcastic as you are. But as I was saying, look at the stars. I'm going to teach you to enjoy nature and it's wonders, Mr. Gold."

"You are beginning to have a very long list of things to teach me."

"Which means only one thing."

"What is that, dearie?"

"You're stuck with me."

He didn't mind that thought at all.


End file.
